


(not) just a kid, a detective

by taztaas (manala)



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 19:51:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17189309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manala/pseuds/taztaas
Summary: Angus is tired. He hasn’t been sleeping well, is all, but it’s fine! It’s magic day and he wouldn’t miss it for the world.





	(not) just a kid, a detective

**Author's Note:**

> A gift for stormberrymc.tumblr.com

Angus is tired. He hasn’t been sleeping well, is all, but it’s fine! It’s magic day and he wouldn’t miss it for the world. Maybe he’s pushing himself a little because he’s afraid that Taako will stop teaching him if the wizard thinks that he’s not committed enough but he is. He wants to learn and he doesn’t want Taako to get bored or be disappointed with him.

So he spreads his legs a little more to keep his balance and grits his teeth and holds his wand a little tighter. They’re doing ice spells today but Angus can’t seem to manage to produce anything but a small wisp of blue light that hangs to the tip of his wand before it dissipates.

“One more time,” Taako says and by now there’s a crease to his brow that makes Angus think that he’s growing frustrated. “Ray of Frost. Cast the spell, Angus.”

Angus doesn’t know what to think about the use of his real, actual name but it makes his stomach feel like it’s been filled with rocks. He forces himself to swallow to get rid of the unease but it doesn’t really help and to his horror, he feels tears of frustration welling up in his eyes. He’s not a child and he’s not going to cry over something like this. He just needs to try harder. He needs to be better.

Angus thrusts his hand forward and points his wand at Taako.

_Look at him, he’s crying._

He squeezes his eyes shut.

_Are you a little baby?_

He’s gripping his wand so hard his hand shakes and his nails dig into his palm but he’s going to cast the spell. He can do this, he’s not an idiot.

“Angus?”

_You’re an embarrassment, Angus._

He holds his breath.

_Angus!_

“Angus!”

Angus casts the spell.

He isn’t sure what goes wrong but it feels like his wand explodes in his hand and he’s thrown back violently against the wall. There’s a flash of intense pain and he feels something crack before everything goes black.

The next thing he sees is Taako’s face hovering above his, though it’s blurry, where are his glasses? There’s something red on Taako’s cheek and Angus realizes with dread that he must’ve hit the elf in the face but then feeling returns to his body and he gasps out a choked scream because _it hurts._

“You with me, Ango?” Taako asks, leaning closer so that Angus can make out the large cut on his cheek and he starts crying because it hurts _a lot_ but he hit Taako’s face.

“I’m--”

“You okay kid?”

“I’m sorry,” Angus manages to get out between sobs, “I-- Your face--”

Taako looks devastated. “Never- never thought I’d say this bubbeleh, to be honest, but nevermind my face. How’re ya feeling?” He touches Angus’ shoulder and though he’s careful, Angus has to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from screaming.

“Hurts!” he cries out and his face is wet and every sob shakes his body and it hurts so much.

Taako flinches. “Okay! Okay, I’m-- fuck, we need a cleric, where’s my fucking--” He starts going through his pockets. “Damn it, it’s in my cloak and I left it on the bench, just wait a sec Ango, I’ll be right--”

“No!” Panicked, Angus grabs Taako’s sleeve before the wizard can stand up and the movement makes his head spin even though he’s laying on his back and the pain intensifies. “Please don’t go, sir, don’t leave--”

“Okayokayokay I’ll just-- I’ll Mage Hand it over, fuck I’m such an idiot, don’t move Angus you hit your head pretty hard and I think your arm is--”

Everything starts to fade, Angus can’t make out the rest of Taako’s sentence and the blond head above him turns into a blur of gold. “I’m scared,” he says and feels a gentle hand on his cheek and before he loses consciousness he thinks he hears “I know baby, I got you.”

Angus blinks awake and finds himself laying on one of the cots in the Bureau’s Medicine Bay. Taako is sitting in a chair next to the bed, leafing through a magazine that Angus’ guesses to be Fantasy Cosmo.

“Good morning. You’ve been out for a while,” Taako says without looking up, but he raises a hand and makes a twirling motion. Angus’ glasses rise up from the side table and float towards his face. He grabs them and pulls them on one-handed since his other arm is in a sling.

“My arm?”

“Broken,” Taako says, licking his thumb and using it to turn the page. “They said they wouldn’t be able to heal it before you woke up, so…”

Angus feels a bit fuzzy, still, he thinks he’s probably got a reasonable amount of painkillers in his system. He spots a wooden duck on the table next to the bed and stares at it long enough for Taako to notice.

“From Magnus,” he says. “Merle hasn’t stopped by, I guess he’s mad at me for calling an actual cleric.”

Angus smiles weakly at that. There’s a dull ache in his arm but he’s happy to notice that Taako’s cheek is unwounded. He’s about to apologize again when one of the Bureau clerics, a stern-looking man, appears by his bedside.

“I’ll heal your arm now then, Mr. McDonald.”

“Uh, su- sure,” Angus stutters, the man’s clipped tone making him nervous. Next to him, Taako abandons his magazine, suddenly interested.

“You might feel a slight tingle,” the cleric says before laying his hands over Angus’ arm, who has no time to respond before his arm is being stung by thousands of needles and he screams.

Taako jumps up and is by Angus’ side in a flash, pulling the boy away from the cleric’s hold.

“A fucking tingle, huh?!” He hisses, eyes flashing. His arm is around Angus’ back and the boy hides his face in Taako’s shoulder as he feels the tears coming again.

“It’s different for everyone Mr. Taako,” the cleric says.

“Oh, I’m fuckin’ sure,” Taako spits out, “He’s a kid, you asshole!”

The cleric is impassive. “Of course sir. Does he want his arm healed or not?”

“Give him a fucking second, will ya?” Taako growls at the man before turning to Angus. “Hey.”

“Mmm.” Angus mutters into the fabric of Taako’s shirt, clutching it with his good hand.

“You gotta be brave, kiddo.”

“It hurts,” Angus whines, unable to help it, feeling exhausted and pressing closer to Taako who lifts a hand to Angus’ back and hesitates before rubbing circles on it. It feels awkward, but Angus feels comforted by it anyway and nods.

“Okay?” Taako asks.

“Okay,” Angus says but doesn’t let go of Taako, who lets him stay in his arms as the cleric grabs Angus’ arm again. Angus stiffens, bracing for it but the pain is more bearable this time, though he feels like all the energy has been sapped out of him by the time the healing is over. Taako let’s go of him and there’s an awkward moment before the wizard moves back to his chair, leaning back and crossing his arms and Angus lays back on the bed. He yawns, and Taako narrows his eyes at him.

“What- what is it?” Angus asks. Taako points a finger at him, then moves it closer until he reaches the boy’s face. He nudges Angus’ glasses up just a bit and touches the skin below Angus’ eye.

“What are these?”

“Sir?”

“These circles are darker than the pit that is my heart little man, haven’t you been sleepin’?”

“Ah,” Angus says, embarrassed, “Not so much, lately.”

Taako scoffs, grabbing his magazine again. “Growing humans need to sleep. That’s why you’re so short, pipsqueak.”

“I’m actually of average height for my age, sir.”

“Sure.”

“And your heart isn’t black, sir.”

“You would know, wouldn’t you,” Taako mutters and Angus grins.

“Of course sir. I’m a detective!”

“Hmm,” Taako hums, and his face is hidden by the magazine but Angus is pretty sure he’s smiling. He’s confident, actually, because he’s not just a detective, he’s the world’s greatest.


End file.
